Tourist struck by lightning in Salento: Marco Zampilli, 42, dies after being thrown from his motorbike.
The tragedy in Puglia
Lightning struck on State Road 275. Some witnesses of the dramatic scene provided first aid.
Tragedy in Salento , where a tourist died after being struck by lightning while riding his motorcycle. His name was Marzo Zampilli , he was 42 years old and a resident of Rome . He had founded a restaurant in Centocelle six years ago. He was apparently electrocuted while riding his motorcycle and thrown from his seat. The Carabinieri and paramedics responded to the scene, but rescuers were unable to do anything.
The tragedy occurred yesterday morning on State Road 275 , on the stretch between Nociglia and Surano, in Lower Salento. Zampilli was traveling alone on a BMW Enduro . According to some reports, he was touring Puglia alone. Lightning struck him after a violent thunderstorm, hitting him directly. Some bystanders who witnessed the dramatic scene provided first aid.
Zampilli was born and raised in the Centocelle neighborhood, the son of master pastry chefs, and had worked for years in restaurants in central Rome. He was also a personal trainer and a huge Roma fan. "We were born here in Centocelle, so our past is also 'rude.' For years we continued to work around Italy and beyond, and after a long time we felt the need to return here, where we were born, because we see the neighborhood is changing and we want to bring what we've learned back to Italy, where we were born," he said in an interview with RomaToday when he decided to open his own restaurant in 2018.
The president of the V Municipio, Mauro Caliste, also remembered him in a post on social media. "I learned with deep sadness of the tragic passing of Marco Zampilli. Marco had a shop in Centocelle, and his family was also known and respected for the historic Tor Pignattara pastry shop, which recently closed. On my own behalf and on behalf of the entire municipal administration, I express my sincerest sympathy to his family, his friends, and all those who knew and appreciated him. Our community is united in grief over this unexpected loss." A fundraiser has been launched on the GoFundMe platform to help cover the cost of transporting his remains, the funeral, and closing the shop, which has quickly raised nearly €40,000.
The Civil Protection Department had issued a yellow alert for part of the Salento peninsula due to the risk of even moderate rainfall. Media reports noted that the tragedy occurred near a roadside plaque erected in memory of a victim who died in a similar situation years ago.
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